Our Products

Taste of Tonga provides a small range of high quality products grown using traditional organic principles in Tonga.

For hundreds of years the people of Tonga have been dependent on coconut as a cash crop as well as for their health and survival. Coconuts are used in traditional cooking and are a major source of nutrients and energy.

We have established a small modern processing plant in Vava’u. It has been built to harvest the virgin coconut oil without the use of extreme pressure, heat or chemicals.

Taste of Tonga Premium Virgin Coconut Oil is

genuinely cold pressed

produced with absolutely NO heat added at any stage of the process

scientifically tested to ensure the water content is below 0.15% (1,500 parts per million) prior to bottling (industry standard 0.2%) Excessive water content will send the oil rancid and shortens the shelf life of the oil.

scientifically tested to be sure it does not contain chemicals and pesticides

rich natural coconut taste and aroma

crystal clear when liquid, white as snow when solid. There are no visible particles causing sedimentation in the oil when liquid

cholesterol free

vegan friendly and gluten free

nutritious and easily metabolised into energy

a highly functional food rich in Lauric Acid

free of tran-fats

not hydrogenated

the most stable cooking oil

Taste of Tonga Premium Virgin Coconut Oil is not

heated at any stage of the process. This means Absolutely NO Heat

Refined, Bleached or Deodorised (RBD)

made using hexane

It takes between 12 and 15 coconuts to create 1 litre of virgin coconut oil. In temperatures above 26 C the oil will be crystal clear. As it cools it will begin to cloud and under 23C it will solidify into a pure white form.

Our second grade oil is heated and takes on a slight yellow appearance. Because of the heating process we only use our second grade oil for cooking or as massage oil.

Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil: No Heat Added (NHA)

How Virgin Coconut Oil is produced and why YOU should be interested

Typically Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is produced by two common methods:

Heated processes (Hot Methods).

Non-Heated processes (Cold Methods).

Taste of Tonga Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is produced manually without excessive pressure, heat or chemicals. The cold processed, no heat method allows for the extraction of VCO without heating the coconut in order to reduce the water moisture level of the coconut meat either before or after it is pressed. Our coconut oil is produced at the same temperature that the coconut grows in, 26 to 28 degrees most days. We use this method so that we may preserve the natural vitamins, antioxidants and light coconut essence.

The cold process methodology allows the retention of monoglycerides and other natural anti-oxidants such as tocopherol (vitamin E), vitamin A and C which serve as natural preservatives. Excessive pressure and heating effectively destroys these substances. Discerning virgin coconut oil consumers know and understand the exact processes used to extract the oils that they choose to buy.

Hot methods may use extreme pressure via an expeller or high heat to extract the oil. The cold pressed method employed by Taste of Tonga obtains the oil without applying heat or pressing the coconut meat through a high pressure expeller press. Instead, we use a hand operated press that delivers a gentle, subtle pressure to obtain the coconut milk from which we separate the oil. Another complication you are faced with is that whilst the oil you buy may state on the packaging that it was “cold pressed”, it may have been heated prior to pressing in order to lower the moisture (water) content of the oil, thus diminishing the benefits of cold pressing.

Please, take the time to understand how the oil you purchase has been treated. The best value coconut oil is the oil that is genuinely “cold processed” thus maintaining the monoglycerides and other natural anti-oxidants such as tocopherol (vitamin E), vitamin A and C as well as the highly beneficial Lauric acid.

At Taste of Tonga, we are determined to provide the highest quality virgin coconut oil. We select only fresh and mature coconuts.

Water Testing

Water is the number one enemy of Virgin Coconut Oil and will quickly send the oil rancid. Immediately prior to bottling our oil is scientifically tested for water content. Our testing equipment will identify minute quantities of water in oil and tests between 0.001%,10 parts per million (PPM) water and 1.5%, 15,000 PPM water. Our testing allows us to confidently guarantee the ongoing quality and shelf life of our product. We do not bottle our oil until the water content is below 0.15%. The industry acceptable standard is 0.2%.

“According to the standards set by Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Product Standards of the Philippines (the worlds largest exporter of coconuts), virgin coconut oil must be colorless, sediment free with natural fresh coconut scent and free from rancid odors or tastes. It is required to have a maximum of .20% moisture and volatile content to prevent rancidity and should not contain food additives. -PNS/BAFPS 22:2004 with Amendment 1:2005.”